Teton Pass Backcountry Guide. By Thomas Turiano. Select Peaks Publishing, Wilson, WY. ISBN 9780974561929.
Best of the Year Award
Teton Pass. This is the place. This is the promise land. No backcountry area so easily accessed from a highway pass can hold a candle to the beauty and variety of skiing found there.
Located on Wyoming Highway 22, eleven miles east of Jackson Hole, the pass sits at 8,431 feet in elevation. It's a perfect starting elevation for journeys into the winter backcountry.
If there is one person who knows this area, and who through the years has prowled more of its nooks and crannies than most, it is author Thomas Turiano.
What I've always admired in Turiano's work is that he gives credit to those who came before, the pioneers of skiing.
Thus, quite naturally, the history of the pass occupies a key part of the introductory chapter of his guide. He knows that history well, having a written a previous work, the excellent Teton Skiing: A History and Guide.
Tours from the pass are covered, but there's more to Thomas Turiano's guide than just centering on the highway's high point. Rather, it covers a swath of land five to six miles long, running along and on either side of the pass highway and found there are a multitude of touring and descent opportunities.
Each of the regional segments of the pass are dealt with in a broad arch with the pass in the center, stretching from the southeast around to the northeast. Trail descriptions are accompanied with crisp color photos, finely done illustrations, and excellent maps.
Turiano doesn't leave out a discussion on local backcountry etiquette. It's a topic that's often glossed over in other types of guides, but here on Teton Pass, it is of considerable importance. With its popularity, and the crowding that invariably occurs throughout the winter, comes the need to observe some social niceties. Yes, Turiano is saying, enjoy the freedom of the hills, but have respect for one another.
This is an outstanding guide, and if you're a Teton Pass skier or thinking about venturing to have a look, then don't do it without "The Guide."
A note about getting a copy . . . don't waste your time looking on Amazon. Use this opportunity to directly support the author without going through the behemoth of an on-line company. In fact, the book is only available from Turiano. Here's where to get it: SelectPeaks.com
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